Thanks to being able to place it anywhere in your home, smart security system Canary is a doddle to set-up and will send HD video to your smartphone whenever it captures something it thinks you should be alerted by. That can often include a home intrusion or something far less scary and innocent, like a cat strutting its stuff across a worktop while you're not looking.

And sometimes, just sometimes, it could be more magical than that.

Canary users have caught on camera all manner of heart-warming moments and posted them online under the tag #CaughtbyCanary. Some have even released footage of their homes being burgled - thankfully with the end result being that the thieves were nabbed by the police or having to leave empty-handed.

We've rounded up some of our favourite Canary-caught clips for you to enjoy. Hopefully they also show exactly how a simple security camera can be useful in your daily life too.

Burglar caught in the act

Because a Canary system will notify you whenever it senses something not quite right going on, one owner in the US managed to send clear footage of her home being burgled and the thief was arrested quickly.

Burglars scared off

Another burglary was caught on camera in an apartment in New York, and while the two thieves were scared off by a neighbour, the footage shows one of Canary's prime features at work. The owner received a notification and then sounded a siren from his phone. It started shortly after they left, and would probably have had the same effect even if the neighbour had not been already alert.

Never leave your lunch around with cats in the house

Not all mischievous intruders are human. A simple household pet can prove a complete nuisance too, as this Canary-caught video proves. Great jump mind. Little warning about the language though, which is fruity.

Normal cat life or horror film?

Another owner found cat footage recorded by her Canary and while nothing odd or spectacular goes on the clip, we've included it because it shows another feature of the device - night vision. By recording in night mode - which provides black and white footage - it has captured some, we think, frankly scary visuals that if you play minor notes on cello over could give you the willies. It's the cat equivalent of The Blair Witch Project. Sort of.

Doggy great escape

It's not just cats that star on Canary you know. How this pooch was getting into a gate-barred living room was a mystery until the owner's son bought a Canary system for his parents. You have to watch right through to find out how the canine mastermind does it.

Yep, you really can guess what's about to happen, part 1

From scary to funny. Bloke dances like a gibbon in front of a Canary camera. Bloke dances on top of a wobbly cushion. Bingo.

Yep, you really can guess what's about to happen, part 2

Another fairly obvious outcome in this clip of parent misadventure. The difference is, you really hope the outcome isn't going to be what you think.

A much cuter baby video

After the last clip, it's nice to see something that doesn't have you chewing your fist. It's also a prime example of how a motion-sensing camera that is always present can capture some incredible moments that you wouldn't in any other way, such as baby's first steps.

Finally, a montage

To round up our highlights of Canary-caught camera tomofoolery, here's an edited collection of some of the best moments captured by genuine owners of the smart system. Enjoy.

Canary is the all-in-one home security system that you control from your phone. It has HD video and audio, a built-in siren, and sensors for temperature, humidity and air quality. Canary lets you see what's happening at home and take action.

A new approach to security, Canary combines innovative hardware, elegant software and meaningful services to meet modern-day home security needs. Canary launched in the UK in September, following a hugely successful Indiegogo campaign in the United States, and is available on Amazon.co.uk, Apple stores, Curry's PC World, John Lewis, and Maplin. For more information, please visit canary.is.